Tips For Choosing The Best Travel Luggage

Now that I am going to be traveling more, I needed to find tips for choosing the best travel luggage. I feel like I tipped my toes in the travel waters when I recently went to Las Vegas. I am hoping to do a lot more business travel this year and if I am, I need to travel with luggage that makes sense for my needs. I wasn’t sure what was out there and what to choose, so I did a search to find out what the experts recommended. Here is what they suggest:

Tips For Choosing The Best Travel Luggage

Hard or Soft: This is a pretty big debate among travelers because both are good for travel for different reasons. If you choose hard luggage, it will hold up to the beating it can get by being tossed into trunks of cars or airport conveyor belts. The soft luggage is easier to carry and will fit into the overhead compartment much easier than the hard shelled option.

Size: Size will matter if you are flying more than if you were on a road trip. With the specifications for the carryon luggage, you must find bags that fit into their size regulations. If you are on a road trip, you aren’t confined to anything but the size of your trunk or back of a truck or van.

Features: For me, I need a bag that has pockets and other hidden storage options. Again, if you are flying, you need to have some pockets you can tuck things into that you otherwise would be taking up precious room in your luggage. I need pockets for my toiletries, makeup, my iPod and jewelry.

Compact: Regardless the mode of transportation, you may want to consider luggage that can be compacted to a smaller space. If you are traveling somewhere that you will be bringing back things with you, a bag that will fold down is perfect to put in your luggage and you can fill it up and carry it back on your return trip. I was looking for a bag like this and I came across a really cool company that sells products made from recycled materials. Torrain has a variety of bags for you to choose from not only for traveling but for everyday use as well.

Light Weight And Collapsible Luggage

My dream for traveling is to bring light weight and collapsible luggage. The problem I found was that many of the bags I thought would work were cheaply made and I don’t think they would have lasted long. When I found Torrain I thought their bags were really cool and they appeared to be very well-made. The history of Torrain lies in Cambodia where a civic minded woman by the name of Sothea Yung wanted to better her community. Sothea decided to take matters into her own hands about the waste piling up that wasn’t being disposed of properly, So, she bought the materials, and employed local women to cleaned the materials and sew them into water resistant and very durable bags. Then Nyla Jano entered the picture and Sothea offered Nyla the chance to design her own bags and Torrain was born. Today, Nyla employs local people who were living in poverty, wounded by a land mine or lost their farmland. I chose the Large Duffle Bag ($64.00) and when it arrived and we opened it up, we could not believe how big the bag actually is. Not only can I fit my clothes in there, but I can fit the kitchen sink, the fridge and a Henry! Henry is always teasing that he is going to hide in my luggage and travel with me and I think you can tell from the picture he just may do that!

One reader will win a Large Duffel Bag ($64.00) in their choice of color, depending on availability.

I love the USA large tote bag. I have been doing a lot of thrify shopping and like to take my own bag in to feel at thrift shops or grocery stores. I find that if I don’t have a buggie, I buy less which helps me stay on a tight budget.